From twirling through the streets of Paris to epic battles in the Abu Dhabi desert, this year's entertainment favorites travel the globe to bring the most stunning and dramatic backdrops onto our screens. What better way to celebrate 2024's biggest TV shows and movies than by trailing their paths on your next getaway?
Traveling to destinations we've seen on the camera — dubbed "set-jetting" in recent years — has always been a popular way to pick whimsical travel destinations. For instance, Salzburg, Austria, has long seen fans of The Sound of Music twirling through its verdant hills, and Prince Edward Island, Canada, has always been a favorite for fans of Anne of Green Gables.
This year's buzziest pop culture phenomena are following that same track. Here are some of our favorites to ensure you're ready for your spotlight on your next vacation.
1. Emily in Paris
Filming locations: Paris, Rome
Where to watch: Netflix
Just days after the Paris Olympics flame fades, the French capital will light up screens again as the eagerly anticipated fourth season of Emily in Paris drops part one on August 15, followed by part deux on September 12.
While details of the new season, which filmed on location earlier this year, have been under wraps, past seasons have seen popular Parisian sites grace the screen. The debut season established the City of Light itself as a starring character, including historic sites like Pont Alexandre III and Palais Garnier and more modern attractions, like the immersive exhibit L'Atelier des Lumières. It even gave new meaning to intersections like Montmarte's Place Dalida, the Instagram-friendly location of a mattress company campaign.
The second season found Emily dining at the rooftop restaurant Tortuga Galeries in Lafayette Paris Haussmann and Louvre-front Le Café Marly, as well as hopping from Père Lachaise Cemetery to Marché d'Aligre, and the third year hit city icons Eiffel Tower and Musée d'Orsay.
While the crew has jaunted outside of city limits — St-Tropez in season 2 and Provence in season 3 — this season, they'll reportedly go beyond borders, with series star Lily Collins teasing, "Don't be surprised to find her on a Roman holiday." Whether Collins' April 28 post in front of the Colosseum was part of the show or during her downtime is yet to be seen. But without a doubt, the Italian capital is set to dial up the drama — and scenery — for the upcoming season.
2. Bridgerton
Filming locations: England's Oxfordshire, Bourne, Bedfordshire, London
Where to watch: Netflix
No matter which Bridgerton sibling the spotlight shines on, two things are guaranteed every season of the Shondaland drama: steamy scenes and elegant scenery.
While some of the most recognizable British backdrops in seasons past have included Bath's Royal Crescent and southwest London's Hampton Court Palace, the third season puts several Oxfordshire sites at the forefront. Blenheim Palace, a more than 300-year-old castle just outside of town in Woodstock, offers a Bridgerton Trail tour to follow its many locations seen in the latest season, as well as in the spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Meanwhile, Kingston Bagpuize House — used as the Baron of Kent's estate — is also open to visitors on select dates.
Over near Bourne, Grimsthorpe Castle, dating back to the 13th century, stands in as Lord Hawkins' home, while Bedfordshire's Wrest Park was seen as the Fuller family home. Meanwhile, several of the balls were shot back in the capital. Queen Charlotte's ball at Hampton Court Palace and the Full Moon Ball at Osterley Park and House. Check out our Bridgerton filming location story for more sites.
3. Challengers
Filming locations: Boston; Norton and Bedford, Massachusetts
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and more
Love means nothing in tennis – or it could mean everything. The sport-based love triangle drama starring Zendaya found its home court advantage in Boston, filming in some of its most prestigious neighborhoods like Back Bay. Live the championship lifestyle of the characters Tashi and Art, who checked into one of the nation's most coveted addresses at the corner of Newbury and Arlington Sts, the Newbury. The comfortably elegant five-star hotel opened almost a century ago as a Ritz Carlton and continues to welcome guests into its elevated rooms right across from Boston's Public Garden. (Don't miss the rooftop restaurant Contessa for its city views and squash carpaccio.)
Many of the hardcourts featured in the movie took place at Wheaton College, about 40 miles southwest in Norton, while the campus' Haas Athletics Center; Chapel Field; and Chase and Emerson dining halls were also used. Country club scenes were filmed at Wedgewood Swim and Tennis Club in Bedford, about 20 miles northwest of the city.
4. Ripley
Filming locations: Italy, New York
Where to watch: Netflix
The eight-episode series based on the 1955 novel and 1999 movie The Talented Mr. Ripley hopscotched around Italy, filming in nearly 200 locations around the country. Hitting all the dreamiest destinations, scenes shot in Rome, Venice, Naples, Capri and Palermo. In fact, the show creator Steven Zaillian and production designer David Gropman left no part of the Amalfi Coast unturned, driving the length from Salerno to Sorrento to find a perfect town for its protagonist Dickie Greenleaf.
"Most have been too modernized or gentrified for a story taking place in 1960, but there was one we came upon, a village of about 800 people called Atrani, that we found perfect," Zaillian told Netflix. The village's Piazzetta Umberto and the post office were among the sites featured. (Read our story on Italian filming locations.)
Back in the US, parts of the period piece were shot in New York's Chinatown, as well as a West Village antique store and Brooklyn's Navy Yard.
5. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Filming location: New York City
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and more.
Forty years after the original Ghostbusters, the fifth film in the franchise, Frozen Empire, is as much a celebration of its predecessors as well as of Manhattan itself. The New York Public Library's main branch on Fifth Avenue at 42nd St opens the 1984 film but also figures prominently in the 2024 remake. Also making a comeback: Tribeca's Ladder Company 8, an operating fire station that's become a popular spot for film fans.
Also keep your eyes peeled for scenes in Washington Square Park, City Hall and St Mark's Place (specifically, the shop at 33 St Mark's Place). The gang also heads outside of the borough with a Coney Island featured in the new flick as well. Super fans can even book a private Ghostbusters-themed tour with On Location Tours. One thing's for sure: If there's something strange in any New York City neighborhood, you know who to call!
6. Dune: Part 2
Filming locations: Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Namibia, Italy, Hungary
Where to watch: Max, Apple TV, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and more
An epic sci-fi sequel requires a thorough number of passport stamps for its filming locations, and the Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh-led film did not disappoint, traversing continents, from Europe and Africa to Asia.
Perhaps most significantly, the cast and crew returned to Abu Dhabi, spending a month in the sand dunes around the Liwa Oasis. "Abu Dhabi is so stunning in and of itself because it has the rolling landscape," star Rebecca Ferguson said in a video shared by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission.
The remote areas of Jordan around Dabet Hanut were used as the Cave of Birds and Reverend Mother's chapel, while Namibia makes a cameo in a key scene that was secretly shot with Anya Taylor Joy. Altivole, Italy, came to the foreground when the Brion tomb set the scene for the gardens on the Imperium planet of Kaitain. Home base for the team was in Budapest, Hungary, split between Origo Studios and Hungexpo.
7. The Fall Guy
Filming location: Sydney
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and more
Sydney's most famous views provided the background for much of the action behind Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt's The Fall Guy. High-speed action sequences sped right through the center of downtown, while all of Sydney Harbour's sites found moments for their close-ups: the Sydney Opera House, Dawes Point Park and, of course, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In fact, production shut down the iconic landmark, for which Gosling later apologized to the city.
While studio scenes were shot at Disney Studios Australia, just south of Sydney in Moore Park, Gosling was also spotted filming scenes in the suburb of Kurnell at the Boat Harbour. Though he may be a movie star by day, the Barbie alum was fully in family mode during his downtime, reportedly taking Eva Mendes and their kids to Scenic World adventure park in the Blue Mountains north of Sydney.
